Improvement in railway-switches



UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.,

ISAIAH C; BURGE'IT AND JOHN It. MCMILLEN, OF LISLE, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,015, dated August 11, 1874 application filed November 6, 1873.

g To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IsAIAH C. BURGETT and JOHN R. MCMILLErLof Lisle, county of ence being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which` 4Figure l is a general plan of a railroad switch and frog embodying our said improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts employed in operating the same. Fig. 3 is a plan `view of the switch-rods-detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

.The object of our invention is to combine a switch and frog together, and to connect them in such a manner that the switch will operate the frog at the same time that it moves the switch-rails for a train to take the side track or leave the same, and also to connect to said arrangement'two trips, so placed that an approaching or following train cannot enter the same siding without the switch being operated by any one; or, if the switch is left open, a train coming from either direction will close the switch before reaching the point of danger. In the accompanying drawing, A and A' are the main-track rails, which are secured to the ties in the usual manner. B andB' are the side-track rails, which are also permanently attached to the ties.V C and C' are the switch-rails. These rails are made in two parts, as shown at D and D'. The parts D and D' are permanently secured to the ties, and the parts C and C' are pivoted to the ties at their point of contact-with the parts D and D', and are so arranged as to admit of being moved laterally, whereby their intersectionpoints are connected with or disengaged from the main rails. E is a metal plate, which is rigidly secured to the ties under the ends of the rails A B' and D D', as shown in Fig. 1. F is the frog, constructed of Vsuitable metal, and pivoted at its end adjoining the rails A B' to the upper surface of the plate E, and is so arranged as to admit of a4 reciprocating movement, by which means its moving or wing end is alternately connected with or disengaged from the rails D and D'. The plate E is provided with an aperture, a, formed through its end immediately under the ends of the rails D D' and moving end of the frog, through which any obstructions which may have a tendency to accumulate between the ends of the rails will pass, thereby enabling the frog to perform its functions regardless of any accumulation of ice and snow. Gis a rock-shaft, which is arranged parallel with the outer side of the main track, and is secured in boxes c c, which are permanently attached to the end or upper'surface of the ties. H and H' are the switch-rods. RodH is pivoted to the lower surface of the switch-rails C and O', and is so arranged as to admit of a longitudinal movement, and rod H' is pivoted to the lower surface of the moving end of the frog, and is also capable of a 4free-and-easy longitudinal movement. I and I' are connecting-rods, which are pivoted to the switch-rods, and are connected to the cranks of rock-shaft G, as shown in Fig. 3. The arrangement of these parts is such that, as the switch-rod H is moved in the direction of its length, a uniform lateral movement is imparted simultaneously to the switchrails and the moving end of the frog, by which means the side track is connected with or disconnected from the main track. J is a metal g plate, which is rigidly secured to the upper surface of the ties. This plate is provided with a flange, b, which extends upward and around its entire outer side, and upon which is secured a metal cover. (Not shown.) It is not necessary that this should be of metal. In some cases wood, perhaps, would be preferable. J' is a lever, which is pivoted to the upper surface of the plate J, and is so arranged asto admit of a free-and-easy motion vibrating on its fulcruin. K is connecting-rod, one

\ end of which is pivoted to the end of the lever J', and is connected at its opposite end to the end of switch-rod Has shown in Fig. 1. L is a metal or wood frame, which is rigidly secured to the ties. M is a vertical rock-shaft, whichis secured within the frame L, and is so arranged as to admit of a free-and-easy reciprocating rotary movement. This shaft is provided with a lever or arm, m, to which is pivoted a connectingrod, N,which passes through the side of the box J, and is connected to the end of lever J, by which means the said lever is moved on its fulcrum by a reciprocating movement of shaft M. o is an arc-shaped rod, which is secured to the sides b of the box, and passes loosely through vlever J'. Upon this rod is secured loosely a spiral spring, h, or other suitable spring, the ends of which bear against the lever J' and the side b, by which means the lever is operated when a moving train comes in contact with the trips. P is a lever, which is mounted upon the upper end of shaft M, by which means a partial rotary movement may be imparted to the shaft M. This lever passes through alongitudinal slot or mortise, g, form ed through the upper portion of frame L, and is so arranged as to freely move therein. P' is a self-acting lock, which is secured to the upper surface of the frame. The arrangement of this lock is such that its bolt engages or is made to pass through the lever as the same has reached the limit of its forward movement, thereby firmly securing the respective operating parts in the proper position for the main track. S and S' are rock-shafts secured in boxes t t attached to the upper surface of the ties. These shafts are arranged at a right angle to the main track, and shaft S passes across and under the same. T T' are rock-shafts, which are secured in boxes attached to the ties. These shafts are each provided with a crankarm, to which is attached connecting-rods a and a', which communicate with and are connected to a corresponding crank-arm on the end of shafts S and S'. The shafts T and T' are each provided with a trip-lever, p p', which extend upward to a level with the upper surface of the rails. These levers or trips are so arranged as to come in con tact with and against the flange or face of the wheels of the moving train, by which means a slight rocking movement is imparted to the shafts T and T', which motion is communicated to shafts S and S through the medium of connecting-rods a and a', imparting to the latter shafts a corresponding rocking movement. R is a vertical shaft, which is secured within frame L, and is so arrangedas to admit of a free and easy ascending or descending movement. The upper end of this shaft is bent to a horizontal position, and extends laterally over mortise g, land is then bent downward, as shown in Fig. 2, and is so arranged as to pass into an aperture formed in lever P as the same is moved under the downward-bent portion of the shaft, by which means the lever is rmly secured in the proper position to hold the switch-rails disconnected from the main-track rails. Pivoted to the lower end of shaft 1t are connecting-links w w, which extend downward, and are connected with arms Z l, which are attached to or made as a part of the shafts S S'. The arrangement of these parts is such as to impart an upward movement to shaft R by a rocking movement of shafts S S', by which means the lever P is disengaged from the bent portion of the shaft, and is forced back to its normal position by the action of spring It.

The operation of our invention is as follows: Should the switch rails be turned to connect the side track with the main ktrack the triplevers p and p' are elevated to the proper position to bring them on a level with the top of the rail, and as the wheels of a moving train come in contact with the said trip -levers the same are forced downward, imparting an upward movement to shaft R, disengaging the vsame from lever P, and the switch -rails are moved to the proper position to connect the rails of the main track by the action of spring h, thereby preventing thetrain from entering the side track, or being thrown from the main track by the disconnection of the rails.

Having thus described our invention, we claiml. The combination of the movable frog F,

jointed switch-rails C G' and D D', and the perforated plate E, all operating as specified.

2. In combination with the switch-rails C C', the switch-rods H H', rock-shaft G, connecting rods I, l', and K, lever J', spring h, rock shaft M, and lever P, all operating as specified.

3. In combination with lever P, the shaft R, connecting-rods w w, shafts S S', connecting-rods a a, and rock-shafts T T', having the trip-levers p p, as specified and described.

Signedl by us this 31st day of October, 1873.

ISAIAH G. BURGETT.

JOHN R. MCMILLEN. Witnesses:

IRA Srovnn, FRANK HAUMESER. 

